Hanger for an article

ABSTRACT

A hanger ( 10, 100 ) for an article such as a tie ( 30 ) is disclosed. The hanger includes either a rigid holder ( 18 ) or a pivoted holder ( 118 ) and a cover ( 11 ) having two cover elements ( 12, 14 ). The cover elements ( 12, 14 ) are hingedly connected at 13 and are movable between open and closed configurations. The cover ( 11 ) when closed clamps the tie ( 30 ) in position and prevents it becoming shop soiled. Preferably the hanger ( 10, 100 ) is provided with a hook ( 20, 120 ). The cover ( 11 ) is also able to contain articles. At least one of the cover elements ( 12, 14 ) is provided with an in-mould label ( 22, 122 ).

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a hanger for an article.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

When an article, such as a clothing accessory, is offered for sale in a shop, it is often hung on a rod or hook by a hanger. A variety of hangers are known in the prior art and they typically comprise a portion that is arranged to permit hanging of the hanger on the rod or hook and a portion that is arranged to hold the clothing accessory. For example, the portion that is arranged to hold the clothing accessory may comprise an elongate member having at one end a finger to intertwine with the clothing accessory and thereby, prevent accidental disengagement of the clothing accessory from the holder. However, the intertwining finger also makes it time-consuming to attach the clothing accessory to the hanger as it prevents the clothing accessory from sliding onto the member in an easy manner.

Hangers known in the prior art are shaped such that it is either relatively complicated to attach the article to the hanger or it is relatively easy to accidentally disengage the article from the hanger.

A large body of prior art in relation to hangers for ties and similar articles exists. This body includes FR 2,436,453; FR 2,738,273; GB 1,438,373; GB 2,165,144; DE 29,812,647U; DE 3,725,097; EP 0,694,276; U.S. Pat. No. 4,889,265 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,772,087. Such devices include a hook and either a clamp arrangement to grasp the article or prong-like fingers through which the article is intertwined. In all instances there is no cover to protect the intertwined portion of the article from becoming shop soiled.

In arrangements such as those disclosed in JP 11,332,724 and EP 0,862,879 an entire cover for the article is proposed. In the former this amounts to a large container for carrying the tie from place to place. In the latter the cover is small but so too are the articles, in this case small items of jewellery.

In GB 2,348,362 and DE 2,523,441 a cover of sorts is proposed. In the former the cover covers only half of the portion of the tie intertwined with the hanger prongs. Consequently, the remaining half portion of the tie is still liable to become shop soiled. In DE 2,523,441 the cover is a separate article from the hanger itself and is engageable with the hanger by means of a one way ratchet arrangement. As a consequence, removal of the cover (and its probable destruction or at least damage) is only intended to be undertaken by the purchaser and so re-use of the hanger by the retailer is not possible.

Other prior art includes GB 2,318,320 which discloses a clothes hanger with cardboard label moulded in-situ. U.S. Pat. No. 5,291,768 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,381,938 disclose moulded container covers. FR 2,779,626 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,730,303 disclose hanging and displaying devices for multiple articles.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with a first aspect of the present invention there is disclosed a hanger for an article, said hanger comprising first and second cover elements pivotable relative to each other between an open configuration and a substantially closed configuration,

-   -   a support member connected to one of said cover elements and         located inside both said cover elements when said cover elements         are in said closed configuration, said     -   support member engaging said article, and said cover elements in         said closed configuration clamping said article against said         support member to discourage dislodgement of said article from         said support member, and     -   a hook means connected to one of said cover elements to permit         said hanger to be suspended from a rail, bar, or like support.

In accordance with a second aspect of the present invention there is disclosed a moulded plastics holder comprising a first cover element and a second cover element hingedly connected together by an integrally formed moulded hinge means and movable between open and closed positions, each of said cover elements having an interior side and an exterior side wit at least one of said exterior sides having an in-mould label formed therewith.

In accordance with a third aspect of the present invention there is disclosed a method of presenting an article for sale, said method comprising the steps of:

-   -   (i) at least partially enclosing said article within a pair of         cover elements hingedly connected together by an integrally         formed moulded hinge means, and     -   (ii) displaying a label relating to said article on an exterior         side of at least one of said cover elements, said label being         formed with said cover element by an in-mould labelling         technique.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view from the front of an open hanger for an article according to a first embodiment of the present invention,

FIG. 2 shows a perspective view from the rear of the open hanger,

FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of the closed hanger of FIGS. 1 and 2, and

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of an open hanger of a second embodiment,

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 4 but showing the pivotable holder swung into a clamping position,

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the closed hanger of FIGS. 4 and 5, and

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the hanger of FIG. 5 but showing the opposite side to that illustrated in FIG. 5.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring to FIGS. 1 to 3, the first preferred embodiment of the present invention takes the form of a hanger 10 having a cover 11 which is illustrated in an open condition. The cover has a first cover element 12 and second cover element 14 which are hingedly connected at 13. The second cover element 14 has a peripheral rim 15.

The first cover element 12 includes an edge 16 that is shaped to receive the rim 15 when the first cover element 12 and the second cover element 14 are pivoted into a closed configuration as illustrated in FIG. 3. In this configuration the covers 12, 14 enclose the uppermost portions of a textile article 30 such as a tie. The rim 15 and the edge 16 form a snap-fit lock arrangement.

The first cover element includes a fixed holder 18 for holding the article. The holder 18 is disposed inwardly from the first cover element 12 such that, when the hanger 10 is in the closed position, the holder 18 is positioned between the cover elements 12 and 14.

In this embodiment, the holder 18 is generally L-shaped with a straight finger which engages the tie 30. The holder 18 is positioned opposite a window opening 17 in the first cover element. A support in the form of a hook 20 is connected to the first cover element 12 to enable the hanger 10 to be supported from a rail, or similar, (not illustrated).

FIG. 2 illustrates the cover 11 in its open condition with an article in the form of a clothing accessory, in this example a tie 30, engaged with the holder 18 by being looped over the finger of the holder 18.

FIG. 3 illustrates the hanger in the closed condition with the cover portions 12 and 14 engaged. The tie 30 is held by the holder 18 between the cover elements 12 and 14. The cover 11 prevents that portion of the tie 30 engaged with the holder 18 becoming shop soiled.

The hanger 10 is preferably composed of a recyclable plastics material and the outer face of the second cover element 14 comprises a plastics label 22. The hanger 10 is preferably produced by injecting molten plastics material into a mould and the label is previously positioned in one side of the mould. When the plastics material hardens, the plastics label 22 melds with the injected plastics material and forms an integral part of the hanger.

Turning now to FIGS. 4-6, the hanger 100 of this second embodiment has the cover 11 with its cover elements 12 and 14 essentially as before, save that the window 17 is missing. The hinge 13, rim 15 and edge 16 are as before. The hook 120 is formed substantially as before but can be formed in two substantially identical portions each of which is attached to a corresponding cover element 12, 14.

A major difference is that the holder 118 is pivoted at 113 in line with the edge 16 and this enables the hanger 100 to be moulded in a flatter configuration. The holder 118 protrudes from the cover 11 to an extent that facilitates engagement of the tie 30 with the holder 118. Preferably the holder 118 includes a releasable latch in the form of aperture 128 and boss 138 which together provide a frictional fit.

With the cover 11 closed as illustrated in FIG. 6, the tie 30 is effectively clamped between the cover elements 12, 14 and the holder 118. Therefore the tie 30 cannot slide out of the hanger 100. In addition, the cover 11 prevents that part of the tie 30 engaged with the holder 118 from becoming shop soiled.

As schematically indicated in FIG. 7, preferably both exterior surfaces of the cover elements 12, 14 are provided with in-mould labels 122 and 222. Each label is positioned in the mould prior to the plastic (eg polypropylene) used to form the hanger 100 being injected into the mould. As explained above, the injected plastics material and the plastics material of the label merge into one. Thus the two hinged cover elements form a container which can be used to retain an article or articles, positioned between the cover elements 12, 14. The cover elements 12, 14 can be moved between the open and the closed configuration as illustrated.

The foregoing describes only one embodiment of the present invention and modifications, obvious to those skilled in the art, can be made thereto without departing from the scope of the present invention.

The term “comprising” (and its grammatical variations) as used herein is used in the inclusive sense of “including” or “having” and not in the exclusive sense of “consisting only of”. 

1. A hanger for an article, said hanger comprising first and second cover elements pivotable relative to each other between an open configuration and a substantially closed configuration, a support member connected to one of said cover elements and located inside both said cover elements when said cover elements are in said closed configuration, said support member engaging said article, and said cover elements in said closed configuration clamping said article against said support member to discourage dislodgement of said article from said support member, and a hook means connected to one of said cover elements to permit said hanger to be suspended from a rail, bar, or like support.
 2. The hanger as claimed in claim 1 wherein said support member is substantially rigid and of generally L-shaped configuration.
 3. The hanger as claimed in claim 2 wherein said support member is connected to one of said cover elements adjacent the pivotable interconnection therebetween.
 4. The hanger as claimed in claim 3 wherein said one cover element includes a window.
 5. The hanger as claimed in claim 4 wherein said window is opposite said support member.
 6. The hanger as claimed in claim 3 wherein said hook means is connected to the same cover element to which said support member is connected.
 7. The hanger as claimed in claim 1 wherein support member is pivotable relative to the one cover element to which it is connected.
 8. The hanger as claimed in claim 7 wherein said support member is pivotable away from said other cover element.
 9. The hanger as claimed in claim 8 wherein said cover elements have a pivotable interconnection therebetween extending along one side thereof and said support element is pivoted to said one cover element at a side thereof opposite said one side.
 10. The hanger as claimed in claim 9 wherein the free end of said pivotable support arm has one part of a two part releasable latch means, the other part of which is located adjacent said one side of said one cover means.
 11. A method of presenting an article for sale, said method comprising the steps of: (i) at least partially enclosing said article within a pair of cover elements hingedly connected together by an integrally formed moulded hinge means, and (ii) displaying a label relating to said article on an exterior side of at least one of said cover elements, said label being formed with said cover element by an in-mould labelling technique.
 12. The method as claimed in claim 11 including the further step of: (iii) forming said cover elements to have a peripheral rim, and (iv) forming a releasable snap-fit lock arrangement to hold said cover elements closed with their corresponding rims engaged.
 13. A moulded plastics holder comprising a first cover element and a second cover element hingedly connected together by an integrally formed moulded hinge means and movable between open and closed positions, each of said cover elements having an interior side and an exterior side with at least one of said exterior sides having an in-mould label formed therewith.
 14. The holder as claimed in claim 13 wherein both of said cover element exterior sides have an in-mould label formed therewith.
 15. The holder as claimed in claim 14 wherein each of said cover elements has a rim engageable with the rim of the other cover element.
 16. The holder as claimed in claim 15 wherein said cover elements include a releasable snap-fit lock arrangement.
 17. A method of presenting an article for sale, said method being substantially as herein described with reference to the drawings. 